Age verification or censorship? Missouri's new rules are age-gating way more than adult sites

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Age verification or censorship? Missouri's new rules are age-gating way more than adult sites News By Chiara Castro published 1 December 2025

A day after implementation, experts' concerns seem to have become a reality

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• Missouri's age verification rules affect more than adult-only sites
• Mandatory age verification landed on November 30, 2025
• Experts have been criticizing the law for its "vague" terms

Mandatory age verification landed in Missouri on Sunday, November 30, and some reports suggest that more websites may be impacted than previously thought.

Missouri's age verification law requires websites and apps to verify that users are at least 18 years old if 33% or more of their content is deemed "harmful" to minors. The law defines "harmful" content as sexually explicit material that lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors

Experts speaking to TechRadar warn that these definitions are still too vague, creating a real risk of "mission creep." And, according to some Reddit users, these concerns are not merely theoretical – they are already playing out.

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One person cited an online lingerie store requiring age checks for certain photos as proof of the problem, saying: "Looks like it’s chilling speech to me."

As of Monday, December 1, online sports betting is also legal in Missouri, requiring websites to verify that gamblers are at least 21. However, the state’s new age verification law makes no reference to age-gating this type of content, which could create confusion among providers.

Here at TechRadar, we have tried to verify which websites have already been impacted by the new rules by connecting to a virtual private network (VPN), but obtained mixed results so far. This suggests that the new requirements may still be rolling out.

"A sweeping surveillance and censorship regime"

(Image credit: rarrarorro/via Getty Images)

"Missouri’s age-verification mandate imposes a sweeping surveillance and censorship regime that will lock millions of adults and young people out of vibrant and lawful online spaces," activist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Molly Buckley, told TechRadar.

Buckley is especially critical of the law's "vague standard" and "harsh penalties," noting that providers can face fines of up to $10,000 a day for non-compliance. She explains that these risks could "push platforms to over-censor important content, flee the state entirely, or ban young people outright in order to avoid risk of liability."

Her concerns appear well-founded. Beyond the user reports surfacing on Reddit, Aylo – the parent company of many of the biggest adult sites – has officially blocked access to everyone in Missouri. The company stated it has taken this step in Missouri and several other states that have implemented similar laws to avoid jeopardizing user data privacy and security.

To access adult-only content, users must prove their age and identity. They can do this by scanning a government-issued ID, providing other transactional data, or using a digital ID.

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Yet, according to Buckley and other experts who talked to TechRadar, forcing everyone to hand over their most valuable and sensitive identity data could lead to privacy abuse or data leaks.

"Lawmakers should focus on real solutions for all, like strong privacy protections and limits on data brokers, not broad censorship and surveillance mandates like this one," said Buckley.

How a VPN can help

If you are concerned about sharing sensitive details or want to bypass website blocks, you might consider a VPN. This tool encrypts your internet connection and masks your IP address, allowing you to sidestep geo-restrictions.

Many Missourians are already taking action: searches for VPNs have quadrupled since the new rules took effect. However, be cautious – shady companies are exploiting this surge. A search for "Missouri VPN" already reveals top results from providers our expert reviewers have never heard of.

And, while there are a handful of free VPNs that are secure and reliable, they all come with limitations. If you can, now it's the perfect time to get one of the best VPN services on the market, as they have all slashed their prices during Black Friday and are still discounted thanks to some great Cyber Monday VPN deals.

This includes TechRadar's top-rated service, NordVPN, which is now offering an even better exclusive Cyber Monday discount for TechRadar readers only. Here are all the details:

NordVPN Basic: $3.39 $2.88/month + 4 months extraNordVPN has improved its Black Friday 2025 deal with a Cyber Monday special. There are discounts of up to 77% off with all 2-year plans coming with a bonus 4 extra months for TechRadar readers. For us, the best bargain is NordVPN Basic for just under $3 . We think NordVPN is the best VPN overall. Here's what you get with NordVPN Basic:🌍 Choose servers in over 126 countries💻 Connect from 10 devices at the same time🚫 Blocks ads, malware, and scams💰30-day money-back guarantee

View Deal Disclaimer

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone using a VPN service to break the law or conduct illegal activities. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

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TOPICS Black Friday NordVPN Chiara CastroSocial Links NavigationNews Editor (Tech Software)

Chiara is a multimedia journalist committed to covering stories to help promote the rights and denounce the abuses of the digital side of life – wherever cybersecurity, markets, and politics tangle up. She believes an open, uncensored, and private internet is a basic human need and wants to use her knowledge of VPNs to help readers take back control. She writes news, interviews, and analysis on data privacy, online censorship, digital rights, tech policies, and security software, with a special focus on VPNs, for TechRadar and TechRadar Pro. Got a story, tip-off, or something tech-interesting to say? Reach out to [email protected]

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